Fence-post.



W. GONNQRS. FENCE POST.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 22, 1909.

Patented Feb.28, 1911.

almmgb UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W.'CONNORS, .OF HELENA, ALABAMA.

FENCE-POST.

Specification of a smnt. Patented Feb. 28, 1911.

Application filed October 22, 1909. Serial No. 524,042.

' Helena, in the county of Shelby and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Fence-Post, (Case A,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to metallic fence posts.

Fenceposts, as heretofore constructed of metal, have been formed of heavy pipes, castings or the'like, which, in order to be of sufticient strength, have necessarily been of such bulk, and weight, as to render them extremely difl icult to handle as well as prohibitive in cost.- Moreover such posts have been considerably weakened by the formation of wire receiving slots or kerfs unless considerable met-a1 has been added to the posts in order to suiliciently reinforce them.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is toprovide a post which can be formed of rolled metal, comparatively thin and consequently lighter than the ordinary type of post, as well as'cheaper to manufacture, the said post being so shaped as to give the maximum strength with the minimum amount of metal.

A still further object is to provide a metal post having wire receiving kerfs interposed between longitudinally extending reinforcing ribs which not only prevent the post from buckling at the points where weakened by the kerfs but also strengthen the post throughout its length;

A still further object is to provide novel means whereby thee 'post, if made up of sections, can be held properly assembled under all conditions, the saidholding means serving to connecjt hinge members, braces and the like to the post without the necessity of utilizing any supplemental attachments.

\Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain' novel details of construction and combinat-ions of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

.In the accompanying, drawings the pre ferred forms of; the invention have been shown. j

In-sard drawings, F1gure 11s a front elevation of a post constructed accordance with the present invention, wires and braces being shown in position thereon. Fig. 2 a section on line A- B, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through a.

I portion of one of the members of the post and showing the key employed for holding the fencewircs to the post. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the post and showing a modified form of clamp thereon. is a view similar to-Fig. 4 and showing an other form of clamp in position upon the post, this clamp constituting a portion of a verse sections through modified forms of posts. Fig. 9 is a detail view of a hinge member.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a post member preferably made up of a rolled metal plate which is comparatively thin and is angular in cross section, the longitudinal edges of the memher being provided with flanges 2 while longitudinally extending reinforcing ribs 3 are formed upon the outer face of the member at opposite sides of the angle or apex thereof. desired number of kerfs or slots are cut into the angle portion of the member at rightangles to the longitudinal center thereof, these kcrfs being designed to receive the wires A of the fence. The ribs 3 are located close to the end walls of the kerfs so as to reinforce the post'at these points where reinforcement is most needed. Two of these members IV are employed to make up a complete corner. gate and strain post but only one member is used for the other posts of the fence. hen the members are assembled. the flanges. 2 thereof contact as shown in Fig. 2. i

The means utilized for holding the post members together may consist of oppositely disposed similar angular straps 5des1gned and having depressions 6 for the reception of the ribs 3. there being ears 7 formed by the terminals of the straps and which are recessed .as at S to rcceive the; flanges 2. The adjoining ears of the two straps are connected by means of bolts 9 and as shown in Fig. 2, one of these bolts can be extended through a tongue 10 located between the ears 7 andformed at one end of a metal brace 11. Also. if desired. a metal plate 12 may be in-' ter iosedbetween the adjoining ears of the straps, this plate beingprovided with oppositely'extending ribs 131upon its lower end and a disk 14: at the upper end thereof. The ears are, designed to it between the disk and the ribs and \vhen'th'e bolt. 9 isinserted through the plate and ears it'will securely Fig. 5

hinge member. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are trans to fit snugly uponthe respective members fasten the parts together as well as bind the straps upon the post members. A pintle extends upwardly fromdisk 14 and constitutes one member of a gate hinge.

Although the means utilized for binding the post members together are preferably formed and applied in the manner hereinbefore set forth it is to be understood that, 1

if preferred, the ears 16 at one end of the clamping members 17 may be. provided with bowed extensions 18 as shown in Fig. 5 these extensions cooperating, when the clamping members are Secured together upon the fence post, to form a split eye adapted either to receive a hinge pintle or a hinge rod;

Another form of clamping structure has been illustrated in Fig. t wherein one of the straps is made up of an intermediate )orti on 19 and parallel side portions 20, the said mtermediate and side portions being shaped to fit snugly upon the two outer faces of one of the post members and upon one of the outer faces of the other post member, there being a recess 21 in one of the angles of said clamping member for the reception of two of the meeting longitudinal flanges 22 of the'post members. The side arms have terminal cars 23 disposedat right angles to each other and parallel with ears l t formed at the ends of a. substantially straight clam ping strap 25, the ears 23 and 24 being drawn together and upon the post members, by means of bolts 26.- This type of clamp is especially useful at fence corners where it is desired to connect two braces to the post, the said braces being disposed in planes arranged at angles to each other.

It is of course to be understood that the wires A may be held within the kerfs 4 in the usual or any preferred manner. In Fig. 3 a key wire 27 has been shown extended between the kerfs and the fence wires so as to hold said wires against displacement, the terminals of the key wire being bent upon the. adjoining fence wires so as to be held against longitudinal displacement.

lVhile the post constituting the present invent-ion is preferably made up of two members clamped together, it is to be understood that, if preferred, one member only can be.

utilized.

In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the post is formed of a rolled channeled member, said member being. formed with three sides disposed at right angles to each other as shown in Fig. 7 or being V-shaped as shown in Fig. 8. In the first construction the reinforcing ribs 28 may be located upon the inner faces of the post and the wire receiving slots 29 may be formed in the free longitudinal edges of the side members of the post, these slots terminating close tothe ribs 28. In the form shown in Fig.1 8, however, the ,reinforcing ribs are preferably lo-' cated'upon the outer faces-and the kerfs 30 are cut into the angle portion of the member and close to the adjoining ribs. With this last mentioned arrangementa key wire 31 similar to the wire 27, may be employed.

In Fig. 6 a tubular post has been illustrated. the same being provided upon its outer face with longitudinal ribs 32 and kerfs or slots 33 are formed within the post and with the ends close to certain of the ribs.

Importance is attached to the fact that,

b providing the ribs which are rolled upon,

the faces of the posts, said posts can be formed of comparatively thin plates of metal and the cost thereof is therefore lessened and the weight reducedwithout correspondingly reducing the strength of the posts. Moreover the said posts are easier to handle than where non-reinforced castings are utilized and which are of sufficient strength to resist,

excessive strains.

Various ehanges can of course be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the-advantages of the invention.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A fence post consisting of oppositely disposed members contacting throughout the length of their side edges, opposed straps fitting snugly against. opposite portions of the post and embracing said post, said members being separate, and separate adjusting devices eng the terminals of the straps for drawing id straps toward each other to bind the post members together.

2. A fence post consisting of oppositely disposed members, said members contacting throughout the length of their side edges,

separate spaced straps fitting snugly against opposed portions of the post and having out-v standing terminals, and means adjustably engaging the terminals of the straps for drawing said straps toward each other and binding the post members together.

3. A fence post consisting of opposed angular metallic members having longitudinal reinforcing ribs, angular clamping members bearing agamst opposite portions of the post and havmgterminal ears, said members havmg depresslons for the reception of the ribs,

. and means for adjustably connecting the ear? to bind'the clamping members upon the pos 4. A fence post consisting of opposed angular members having flanged longitudinal edges, angular clamping devices extending around the members and having terminal ears. and means extending through the ears 01 binding said devices upon the post memers.

5. A fence post consisting of opposed angular metallic members, angular clamping devices bearing upon oppositecportions of said members and. having terminal ears,

there being depressions. said devices,

Ill

longitudinal reinforcing ribs uponthe post members and seated within said depressions,

and means adjustably engaging the ears for binding the clamping devices upon the post members to hold said members together.

6. A metal fence post consisting of a pair of separate opposed members having means to reinforce them along their marginal side edges, said means constituting extended same when assembled, said strap having a recess for the reception of the meeting reinforcing means at one side of the post to hold said members in contact, a second strap located entirely outside of the members, and means engaging the terminal portions of the two straps for drawing them together and for binding the marginal reinforcing portions together against relative displacement.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE W. OONNORS.

lVitnesses:

C. B. DOYLE, C. E. PR NKERT. 

